Painting device



Dec. 26, 1967 c. G. MOORE 3,359,589

PAINTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 25, 1965 INVENTOR.

CHARLES GREGG MOORE amwmmbzgl ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,359,589 PAHVTING DEVICE Charles Gregg Moore, Wooster, Ohio, assignor to The Wooster Brush Company, Wooster, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Feb. 25, 1965, Ser. No. 435,157 11 Claims. (Cl. 15210) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE tacted by the paint applicator. Additional spacer means H project beyond the sides to assist in guiding the movement of the painting device.

This invention relates generally, as indicated, to a paint ing device and, more particularly, to a device which is adapted to apply paint uniformly to a surface in a straight line adjacent an edge formed as by the intersection of two walls or a wall and a ceiling or floor, such device having particular utility in applying paint to a corner area formed as by the intersection of two walls and the ceiling or floor.

As almost everyone who has done any painting at all knows, it is an extremely difiicult and laborious task to paint a surface adjacent an edge or corner, especially when using a conventional paint brush, since great care muts be taken to paint in a straight line without applying paint to the adjacent surface or surfaces. The task is no less difiicult when using a paint roller of the usual type, since the roller handle mountings are generally too wide to permit painting closely adjacent an edge, and moreover, no means is provided for maintaining the roller at a uniform distance from the adjacent surface.

Although paint applicators for applying paint to a surface adjacent an edge have been available for a number of years, not one of them has been entirely satisfactory, especially when used to apply paint to the corners of a room adjacent the ceiling or floor, since as the paint applicator is moved into the corner, the leading end of the applicator is apt to contact and apply paint to the adjacent wall and ceiling or floor.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide a novel painting device which is adapted to apply paint along a straight line adjacent the intersection of two walls and even in corners .where the two walls are intersected by a third wall without applying paint to the third wall.

It is another object to provide such a painting device with a leading end which is substantially pointed, such leading end being formed by the intersection .of two sides at an acute angle.

Another object is to provide such a painting device with a main body portion of a generally triangular configuration, wherein one of the angles of the triangular body is the leading end of the painting device.

Still another object is to provide such a painting device the body of which has a generally trapezoidal shape, wherein one of the acute angles of the trapezoidal body is the leading end of the painting device.

Yet another object is to provide such a painting device with a spacer wheel adjacent the leading end, such spacer ice wheel being so poisitioned that it overhangs the sides which form the leading end by a distance sufiicient to allow a painter to paint a straight line with the painting device without applying to the adjacent wall or ceiling, including the molding or trim.

Another object is to provide the body of such a painting device with an offset portion to facilitate removal of a paint applicator pad therefrom.

Another object is to provide the painting device with fixed glides or rollers adjacent the trailing end, such glides or rollers also overhanging the body of the device by a distance suflicient to prevent paint from being applied to the adjacent surface during the painting operation.

A further object is to provide such a painting device. with a novel means for releasably securing the paint applicator pad to the painting device body.

Another object is to provide a painting device of the nature outlined above which is simple in construction, durable, relatively inexpensive, and easy to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but several of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a preferred form of painting device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the painting device of FIG. 1 taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is atop plan view showing such painting device in position adjacent a corner formed by the intersection of three walls for applying paint to one of the walls in a straight line adjacent the intersections of such walls without applying paint on the other two walls;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of painting device in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of still another form of painting device.

Turning now to the drawing, and first of all to FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred form of painting device of the present invention is generally indicated at 1 and comprises a substantially fiat body member 2 having a hand grip 3 projecting outwardly from one face 4 thereof and an applicator pad 5 secured to the opposite face 6. Preferably, the body member 2 is in the shape of an isosceles triangle and has a main spacer wheel 7 secured to the upper face 4 adjacent the vertex 8, the diameter and position of such main spacer wheel 7 being such that the peripheral edge of the wheel 7 overhangs both of the sides 10 and 11 of the body 2 which intersect to form the vertex 8. The extent of such overhang is preferably about 0.062 inch beyond the adjacent edge of the applicator pad 5, and in any event is suflicient to allow a painter to strike a straight line with the painting device 1 adjacent an edge without applying paint to the adjacent wall or ceiling, in a manner which will be more fully explained hereafter.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the spacer wheel 7 is supported in a plane slightly spaced from the upper face 4 of the body member 2 on a stud 12 projecting outwardly therefrom and is retained in place by any suitable means, such as a washer 13 and Tinnerman or like push nut 14 positioned over the free end 15 of the stud 12. The spacer a wheel 7is preferably made of nylon or Teflon, although it may be made of other materials, such as rubber, for example, and is generally formed with a rounded outer periphery 16 to permit relatively smooth rolling over a rough surface.

The, body member 2 is also desirably made from plastic, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, or nylon, and is usually formed in one piece with the stud 12 and hand grip 3 being integral therewith. The hand grip 3 includes a central web portion 20 extending outwardly from the body member 2 in a plane substantially bisecting the vertex 8 and base 21 of the body member 2, such central web portion 20 stopping short of the main spacer wheel 7, and a transverse flange 22 on the leading edge of the web portion 20 nearest the vertex 8, as well as on the upper edge 23 thereof. With such a contour, the hand grip 3 may be easily grasped and firmly held by the painter during use.

Also preferably formed integral with the plastic body member 2 adjacent the base 21 thereof are fixed glides 24 which extend outwardly beyond the sides 10 and 11 of the body member 2 by a distance substantially equal to the distance that the outer periphery of the main spacer wheel 7 extends beyond such sides; i.e., approximately 0.062 inch. Moreover, each fixed glide 24 is desirably disposed in substantially the same plane as is the main spacer wheel 7, and defines with the spacer wheel 7 a pair of guides for the painting device 1, regardless of whether the side 10 or 11 is adjacent the edge of the surface to be painted.

The applicator pad may be of the usual construction, consisting of a sheet metal backing plate 25 to which there is secured a fabric backed mohair or open celled sponge 26 as by cementing the same thereto. The backing plate 25 has a configuration similar to the configuration of the body member 2 (in this case triangular) and has an upwardly and inwardly turned edge 27 for engaging the chamfered sides and 11 of the body member 2. Accordingly, the applicator pad 5 mayreadily be removed to facilitate the cleaning thereof, or replaced by another applicator pad, it only being necessary to slide the body member 2 out of the turned edges 27 of the applicator pad 5.

To initiate relative sliding movement between the body member 2 and applicator pad 5, an offset or cutout portion 30 may be provided in the base 21 of the body member 2 if desired. Accordingly, the rear end 31 of the applicator pad 5 may be held stationary in the area of the cutout portion 30 while the body member 2 is pulled in the direction of such rear end 31. Moreover, the upper face 4 of the body member 2 may be provided with one or more projections or buttons 32 adjacent the sides 10 and 11 ithereof at a distance substantially spaced from the vertex .8, and the inturned edges 27 of the applicator pad 5 may be provided with offset portions 33 adapted to engage the buttons 32 when the applicator pad and body member 2 'are properly assembled, thus locking the applicator pad 5 and body member 2 together.

The painting device 1 as described above may be very effectively used to paint a straight line on a surface adjacent the intersection of two surfaces Without contacting and thus applying paint to the adjacent surface, such as a wall, ceiling, molding, or trim. Thus, in operation, the applicator pad 5 is dipped into paint and positioned against the surface to be painted with the main spacer wheel 7 and one or the other of the fixed glides 24 in contact with the adjacent surface, the particular glide 24 contacting the adjacent surface, of course, depending upon the surface being painted and the direction in which the painting device 1 is desired to be moved. As clearly shown in FIG. 3, when the painting device 1 is positioned as just described, the spacer wheel 7 and fixed glide 24 space the adjacent side of the applicator pad 5 from the adjacent wall W by a distance which is sufiicient to allow the painter to move the painting device 1 along the surface S being painted in the direction of the vertex 8 without applying paint on the adjacent wall. While this spacing may be varied within limits, as previously indicated, it has been found that a spacing of approximately 0.062 inch will give satisfactory results in almost all cases.

Not only does the painting device 1 of the present invention permit the painting of a straight line without ap plying paint on the adjacent wall as aforesaid, but it also permits the painter to apply paint to the corner area C of the wall S where it intersects-the adjacent wall W and ceiling F without applying paint to either of the adjacent surfaces. This is possible since the leading end 8 of the painting device 1 is substantially pointed, and thus there will only be point contact between one of the adjacent surfaces F and the painting device when the painting device is moved the entire length of the surface S being painted. At the same time, a rather wide area is painted by the trailing end 31 of the applicator pad 5, due to its substantial width.

Completion of the painting of the corner C is efiected by moving the painting device 1 from the solid line position shown in FIG. 3 to the phantom line position, and

again moving the painting device 1 along the surface S.

with the main spacer wheel 7 and the other fixed glide 24 in contact with the adjacent surface F. Of course, since the main spacer wheel 7 and other fixed glide 24 also project beyond the other edge 10 of the body member 2 approximately 0.062 inch, no paint will be applied to this adjacent surface either.

Substantially the same results can be achieved with other body member configurations, so long as the leading end of the painting device is in the form of an acute angle. Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, the body member 40 may be in the shape of a trapezoid, or other irregular shape with the leading ends 41 being angles of less than Of course, in each case the applicator pad 5' must have a shape similar to the body member 40.

Moreover, the transverse flange 42 of the hand grip 43, rather than being spaced from the spacer wheels 44 as in the FIG. 1 embodiment, may overlie the spacer wheels 44 and provide a mounting bracket for receipt of the spacer Wheel mounting shaft 45, as also shown in FIG. 5.

The painting device 1 of the FIG. 5 embodiment is used in substantially the same manner as is the painting device of the FIG. 1 embodiment, and thus its operation will not be covered in detail. However, it should be pointed out that such FIG. 5 painting device 1 is provided with a main spacer wheel 44 adjacent two corners 41, rather than just one, and that each spacer wheel 44 over-hangs the respective intersecting sides 46, 47, and 47, 48 which form the corners by a distance of approximately 0.062 inch. Thus, the painting device 1' can be moved in four directions, rather than in just two as in the FIG. 1 embodiment. More specifically, the painting device 1' may be moved in a direction parallel to either of the sides 46 or 48 toward the leading ends 41, or in opposite directions parallel to the side 47 which connects the two leading ends 41. Of course, when moved in a direction parallel to the side 47, both of the spacer. wheels 44 will simultaneously be acting as spacers.

The main advantage of using a single main spacer wheel 7 and a pair of fixed glides 24, as in the FIG. 1 embodiment, is that the main spacer wheel 7 will take up the main thrust or pressure which is applied to the painting device 1 and will roll smoothly over rough areas on the surfaces contacted thereby, while the fixed glides 24 will gently slide over such rough spots. Moreover, because the outer periphery 15 of the main spacer wheel 7 is rounded, there will generally only be point contact at the place where there is the most pressure. This is quite advantageous in that marring of newly painted surfaces is prevented or substantially eliminated. However, as clearly shown in FIG. 4, additional spacer wheels or ball bearings 50 may be substituted for the fixed glides 24 if desired.

From the above discussion, it should now be apparent that the various described forms of painting devices of the present invention are quite useful in trimming surfaces, especially along an edge or in a corner area, and at a relatively'high rate of speed. This is accomplished by forming the body portion in a triangular or other irregular shape with the leading end being substantially pointed and the trailing end having a substantial width; and providing the body portion with two or more spacer means for maintaining the paint applicator pad at a uniform distance from surfaces not being painted.

Other modes of applying the principles of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A device for applying paint to a corner area comprising a body member having a leading end substantially in the shape of a point, the included angle of which is less than 90", a paint applicator pad secured to one face of said body member, spacer means mounted on the opposite face of said body member for maintaining said paint applicator pad at a uniform distance from an adjacent surface as the leading end of said painting device is moved in the direction of said corner area, said spacer means including a main spacer Wheel mounted on said opposite face of said body member adjacent said leading end, said main spacer wheel extending outwardly beyond the sides of said body member which intersect to form said one angle by a distance suflicient to provide the desired spacing between said paint applicator pad and the adjacent surface as aforesaid, said body member being of triangular shape and said leading end being one of the angles of said triangular shaped body member, and a hand grip projecting upwardly from said other face of said body member, said hand grip including a central web portion and a transverse flange on said central web portion, said transverse flange overlying said main spacer wheel to provide a mounting bracket therefor.

2. A device for applying paint to one or more planar surfaces of a corner formed as by the intersection of three such surfaces at right angles to each other, said device comprising a body member having a generally triangular shape, a paint applicator pad secured to one face of said body member and having a similar triangular shape, a main spacer wheel mounted on the opposite face of said body member adjacent one of the acute angles thereof, said main spacer wheel projecting outwardly beyond both sides of said body member that intersect to form said one acute angle, and additional spacer means secured to said opposite face of said body member and projecting outwardly beyond both of said sides at positions spaced from said main spacer wheel, said paint applicator pad being provided with an inturned edge for engaging said sides of said body member, and said opposite face of said body member being provided with a plurality of projections adjacent said sides at positions substantially spaced from said one angle, said inturned edge of said applicator pad being provided with offset portions adapted to engage said projections when said paint applicator pad and body member are properly assembled, thereby releasably locking said applicator pad and body member together, the side of said body member directly opposite said one acute angle being provided with a cutout portion exposing the adjacent surface of said paint applicator pad, whereby relative sliding movement between said body member and applicator pad may be initiated by holding said applicator pad stationary in the area of said cutout portion and moving said body member in the direction of said cutout portion.

3. A paint applicator for applying paint to one of two generally normal surfaces in a straight line adjacent the intersection of such surfaces, said paint applicator comprising a body portion of generally trapezoidal shape with straight sides, a paint applicator pad secured to one face of said body portion and having marginal edges substantially in alignment with the straight sides of said body portion, said trapezoidal shaped body portion having two acute angles which form leading ends for said paint applicator, a main spacer Wheel mounted on the opposite face of said body portion adjacent each of said leading ends, said main spacer wheels being disposed in a plane substantially parallel to said paint applicator pad and projecting outwardly beyond the sides thereof which intersect to form said acute angles, and a pair of fixed glides also mounted on said opposite face of said body portion spaced from said main spacer wheels, said fixed glides projecting outwardly beyond the straight sides of said body portion which intersect a common side to form said acute angles substantially to the same extent as said main spacer wheels, and handle means on said paint applicator to permit gripping for movement along one of such surfaces with said paint applicator pad in contact therewith and one of said main spacer wheels and associated spacer in contact with the adjacent surface.

4. A paint applicator for applying paint to one of two generally normal surfaces in a straight line adjacent the intersection of such surfaces, such paint applicator comprising a body portion having at least one straight side, paint applicator means secured to one face of said body portion and having a marginal edge substantially in alignment with the straight side of said body portion, a main spacer wheel mounted on the opposite face of said body portion, said main spacer wheel being disposed in a plane substantially parallel to said paint applicator means and projecting outwardly beyond said straight side, a hand grip projecting upwardly from said opposite face of said body member, said hand grip including a central web portion and a transverse flange on said central web portion, said transverse flange overlying said main spacer wheel to provide a mounting bracket therefor.

5. A device for applying paint to a surf-ace adjacent to and forming an internal angle with a second surface, said device comprising a body member having a flat face and converging straight sides leading substantially to a point, paint applying means carried by said flat face, and spacer means on said body member adjacent said point, said spacer means projecting outwardly beyond both said converging sides of said body member a distance sufficient to provide the desired spacing between said paint applying means along either of said straight sides and one such surface when said paint applying means is applied to the other such surface, said point projecting beyond said spacer means a distance sufficient to permit painting into corners with said point.

6. A device for applying paint to a surface adjacent to and forming an internal angle with a second surface, said device comprising a body member having a flat face and converging straight sides leading substantially to a point of included angle less than paint applying means carried by said flat face, spacer means on said body member adjacent said point, said spacer means projecting outwardly beyond both said converging sides of said body member a distance sufficient to provide the desired spacing between said paint applying means along either of said straight sides and one such surface when said paint applying means is applied to the other such surface, said point projecting beyond said spacer means a distance suflicient to permit painting into corners with said point, and other spacer means on said body member similarly projecting beyond the sides thereof rearwardly of said first-mentioned spacer means to assist in maintaining the desired spacing of said paint applying means from such one surface.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein at least one of said spacer means consists of a wheel mounted on the face of said body member opposite the face carrying said paint applying means and having an-axis of rotation perpendicular to said last-mentioned face.

8.:The device of claim 6 wherein at least one of said spacer means consists of a projection having a smooth contact face.

9.=The device of claim 6 wherein said body member is in the shape of anisosceles triangle and said point is one ofthe angles of said triangle.

10. The device of claim 6 wherein said body member is of trapezoidal shape and said point is one or the other of the acute angles of said trapezoidal-shaped body member.

11. A device for applying paint to a surface adjacent to and forming an internal angle with a second surface, said device comprising a body member having a flat face and converging straight sides leading substantially to a point of included angle less than 90, paint applying means carried by said flat face, spacer means on said body member adjacent said point, said spacer means projecting outwardly beyond both said converging sides of said body member a distance suflicient to provide the desired spacing betweensaid paint applying means along either of said straight sides and one such surface when said paint applying means is applied to the other such surface, and other spacer means on said body member similarly projecting beyond the sides thereof rearwardly of said first-mentioned spacer means to assist in maintaining the desired spacing of said paint applying means from such one surface, said spacer means adjacent said point consisting of a spacer wheel mounted on the face of said body member opposite the face carrying the paint applying means, said spacer wheel extending outwardly beyond said converging sides a distance sufficient to provide the desired spac ing as aforesaid, said point projecting beyond the outer periphery of said spacer wheel to permit painting into cor-, ners with said point.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,772,520 8/1930 Rangitsch 15-2105 2,810,148 10/1957 Wood 15-2l0 2,853,731 9/1958 Lancaster l5210 2,985,902 5/1961 Sopocy 15-166 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

L. G. MACHLIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR APPLYING PAINT TO A CORNER AREA COMPRISING A BODY MEMBER HAVING A LEADING END SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE SHAPE OF A POINT, THE INCLUDED ANGLE OF WHICH IS LESS THAN 90*, A PAINT APPLICATOR PAD SECURED TO ONE FACE OF SAID BODY MEMBER, SPACER MEANS MOUNTED ON THE OPPOSITE FACE OF SAID BODY MEMBER FOR MAINTAINING SAID PAINT APPLICATOR PAD AT A UNIFORM DISTANCE FROM AN ADJACENT SURFACE AS THE LEADING END OF SAID PAINTING DEVICE IS MOVED IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID CORNER AREA, SAID SPACER MEANS INCLUDING A MAIN SPACER WHEEL MOUNTED ON SAID OPPOSITE FACE OF SAID BODY MEMBER ADJACENT SAID LEADING END, SAID MAIN SPACER WHEEL EXTENDING OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE SIDES OF SAID BODY MEMBER WHICH INTERSECT TO FORM SAID ONE ANGLE BY A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE THE DESIRED SPACING BETWEEN SAID PAINT APPLICATOR PAD AND THE ADJACENT SURFACE AS AFORESAID, SAID BODY MEMBER BEING OF TRI- 